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A review by withewind
Zazie in the Metro by Raymond Queneau
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was a whirlwind. I still don’t know what to make of it if I’m being honest, which is why I can only give 3.5 stars. It’s not that I disliked it, but did I like it? Who knows.
Zazie is an incredible character, that’s for sure. As is her uncle and the rest of the cast. The entire thing hit especially close to home since I visited Paris quite recently, so I could at least somewhat follow the routes they took.
Since I read it in (albeit very good) translation I think it is impossible to truly appreciate the writing style completely. It already was incredibly funny though and I can only imagine what it must be like in French. Maybe I’ll trust myself to pick up the original one day.
Do I recommend this? Sure! It is a very quick read and a very entertaining one although it can be rather drastic at times, both in its language and its themes. And it does have a surprising depth to it that sometimes catches one off-guard. I appreciate that, though.
At the end of this review, there’s only one question left for me to ask: Is Gabriel really homosexual? I like to think so. It would make everything even funnier and I also believe it is hinted at quite clearly.
Zazie is an incredible character, that’s for sure. As is her uncle and the rest of the cast. The entire thing hit especially close to home since I visited Paris quite recently, so I could at least somewhat follow the routes they took.
Since I read it in (albeit very good) translation I think it is impossible to truly appreciate the writing style completely. It already was incredibly funny though and I can only imagine what it must be like in French. Maybe I’ll trust myself to pick up the original one day.
Do I recommend this? Sure! It is a very quick read and a very entertaining one although it can be rather drastic at times, both in its language and its themes. And it does have a surprising depth to it that sometimes catches one off-guard. I appreciate that, though.
At the end of this review, there’s only one question left for me to ask: Is Gabriel really homosexual? I like to think so. It would make everything even funnier and I also believe it is hinted at quite clearly.